Dealing with campus police can be a scary experience, but you have rights as you do with any other law enforcement. However, there are some complications that could occur.
According to The College Post, you always have your basic rights, such as remaining silent, when dealing with any type of law enforcement, but when it comes to campus police, you could get in trouble for exercising your rights.
College policies
The fact is many schools have policies that will discipline you for exercising certain rights. For example, the college may compel you to talk with law enforcement or face disciplinary action. They may not state this outright, but instead create a policy that says you must cooperate with all campus investigations, which essentially means you cannot exercise your rights or you will be in trouble.
When it comes to searches, your housing agreement may have agreed to allow searches. However, you will generally get a notice period prior to the search.
It is essential to know and understand the policies at your school when it comes to dealing with campus police.
Your rights
You should always stand up for yourself and exercise your rights even if it could bring about problems with the school. Dealing with a criminal charge could put your future in a more precarious place than a school disciplinary action. You should always seek legal help if you find yourself having to choose between your rights and following campus rules.
You can very well face serious legal issues from the investigations of campus police. You should take any interactions you have with them seriously and try to ensure they do not infringe on your rights.